I.

Read this excerpt from a lecture on how geography affects the

development of cities. Then do the following:
• Circle the lecture language that signals an explanation.
• Underline the explanation.
Today, we are going to discuss one geographical feature that has
been important to the development of cities. We'll look specifically at
waterways. Let me explain what I mean by waterways. By waterways, I
mean rivers, lakes, ocean bays-water that is deep and wide enough for
ships to travel on, to transport ... move products back and forth. So, let
me show you why waterways have been so important. In the time before
railroads, and before road systems,waterways were the main way,and
the least expensive way, to exchange products. So you can seethat, when
a city was close to a waterway, it could have more exchange of products,
and as a result, more economic development..

II. Listen to the short lecture again. Write down the lecture language that
signals an explanation. Then listen again, and write down the explanation.
1. Idea: There are many ways that we learn about the world.
Explanation lecture language: Let me show you what I mean
Explanation: People learned about the world through contact with other people.
2. Idea: Waterways increased contact with other people.
Explanation lecture language: Let’s look at how this worked
Explanation: The closer to waterways people lived, the more opportunity they had
to exchange ideas about the world.
3. Idea: Cultures that live in isolation from waterways are similar.
Explanation lecture language: Let me explain
Explanation: Cultures not near waterways usually developed more slowly than
cultures near waterways because waterways help people exchange ideas.